Until Death Do Us Part
by LegoLassss
Summary: Five years ago, Don Flack was married. Now, he's just trying to work out who he slept with the night before. Charlotte has more things on her mind, a cheating ex-boyfriend and her daughter wanting to know who her father is. Can she handle the heat?
1. A Run in with 'The Law'

**Chapter 1: A Run in with 'The Law'**

* * *

**I own nothing… I am sorry if some things aren't quite right, but I'm English so I'm trying my best to get it all in American.**

_Ring Ring… Ring Ring… Ring Ring…_

The incessant drone of the telephone broke through my sleepy haze, and rang sharply, breaking into my head. It felt like it was splitting in half with every high pitched beat. I moaned, and rolled over to onto my stomach, reaching over to pick up my extension line from the side table in my apartment bedroom. After a few moments of blindly groping, I realised that there _was _no side table. Looking next to me, I saw the back of a black haired guy's head. He seemed to be asleep, well, judging by the fact that he didn't seem to notice the sounds coming from somewhere in the room. I pulled myself out of the bed, stilling for a moment as my vision swam briefly. I waited for it to clear before standing up completely and beginning to dress. The sound of the phone had thankfully ended.

The guy didn't wake until I'd left, which suited me perfectly fine. I hadn't been looking for anything more than sex last night, I'd just found out that my boyfriend was cheating on me so as soon as I'd chucked him out, I went in search of a lot of alcohol, and a good time. It just happened that this guy had been willing to try and provide the latter of these two requirements. He'd failed.

* * *

_Ring Ring… Ring Ring… Ring Ring…_

Don groaned deeply at the ringing and covered his aching head with a hand. He shouldn't have got so drunk the night before, but... the ringing continued, and he rolled over. He picked up his black work pants and fished around in the pockets for a minute in search of his cell phone. When he finally pulled it out, he flipped it open and put it to his ear, using his usual, but gruff greeting of 'Flack'.

_Hey, long night? _The voice on the other end of the phone asked. Don murmured in agreement, and Danny continued. _We've got two DBs in an alleyway on the corner of 7__th__ and Main. We need you down there pronto. _

"Okay…" Don said, roughly, sliding a hand down his face slowly as he looked over his shoulder at the empty bed behind him and saw the opposite side was unmade. Suddenly, he was very awake, and _very_ sober. _You still there Flack?_ Danny asked on the other end of the line. "Yeah, yeah I'm still here… gimme a few to wake up why don't ya?" he asked, looking over the room to find all traces of the girl gone. "I'm comin' gimme five to take a shower, then I'll be there." Don said, sighing deeply. He flipped the cell down, ending the call and trudged into the bathroom, trying to remember whom he'd left the bar with.

* * *

"You weren't home last night." _That's _the greeting I get from my next door neighbour as I clasp my head, the words ringing harshly against my already pounding brain.

"I just broke up with my boyfriend of two years because he cheated on me. With my _best _friend I might add, so I think I have a right to go out for a night and get plastered." I'd lived in England for about 11 months a couple of years ago, which I think explains my use of English slang most of the time.

"Not in most people's books. Most girls, when they get cheated on, crack out the ice cream and call over some of their friends. They don't go boozing and presumably wake up in some guy's bed the next morning." Ellen said, looking me over. We'd been friends since I'd moved into the building with my husband over five years ago.

"How's Andie?" I asked, fumbling with my keys as I tried to open my apartment door. Ellen and I were the only ones on the floor, so before I'd gone mental on my ex, I'd asked her to take Andie for a couple of hours.

"She's fine… as fine as a four year old _can_ be when she listened to her mother break up with another guy."

"You guys heard that?" I asked, my hand stilling on the side of the open door frame. I turned to Ellen, and she nodded. "Shit." I said quietly.

"You know, we're both wondering when you're gonna settle down again." I grimaced, and she put her hand on my shoulder.

"It didn't work out well last time I tried did it?" I asked her. Ellen put her hands up in a gesture meaning she gave up.

"Andrea wants to know who her father is as well. When're you gonna tell her that one eh? She _needs _to know." I groaned as Ellen persisted.

"I don't know El. All I know is that I need a shower, a strong coffee and a fresh change of clothes before I take her to kindergarten." Ignoring the disapproving look, I walked into my apartment and closed the door. I ran a hand along the side of my face and then rubbed my neck. Ellen was right. I had to tell him… and Andie. I owed that much to him.

* * *

Four Hours Later

"Could you tell me where to find Don Flack please?" I was standing in front of the reception desk of Don's precinct, hoping he wasn't there.

"You mean _Detective _Donald Flack?" the receptionist asked, appearing to judge me. He'd become a detective.

"Yes, I mean I'm looking for _Detective _Donald Flack." I said calmly, whilst inside I was shaking. The woman behind the desk typed something into her computer, and after a moment, looked up.

"I'm sorry, he's with the crime scene investigations team at the moment, but if you wait, he should be back in about an hour or so."

"Thank you, I think I'll… um, I'll come back another time." I said slowly, running a hand through my long brown hair, which was loose against my back. I declined her offer to leave a message, and turned towards the doors.

I walked quickly out of the precinct, and into the sunshine, bumping into a small group of people by the doors.

I spun, murmuring apologies quickly before looking up into their faces. I stopped, shocked at the sight of Don. That was for a second, before he recognised me, and I began to run at full pelt in the opposite direction. The pain in his eyes when he'd realised who I was, was just too much to bear. How was I supposed to tell him that he had a four and a half-year-old daughter? I kept running until I was at my apartment building. I was a horrible, horrible person. I slid down my door, and cried until it was time to pick Andie up from kindergarten.

I walked into the bathroom and washed my face, pulling up to stare up at my reflection in the mirror, before drying off, and walking into the bedroom, where I changed from my sweats into a pair of long jeans. My favourite Jimmy Choos and a long turtle neck which reached my mid thighs completed the ensemble. I put on my favourite lipstick, and then picked up my keys and purse, before leaving the apartment.


	2. Money Talks

I picked Andie up from her kindergarten about thirty minutes later at around three. I bent down and kissed her on the top of the head, combing her thick dark curls through with my left hand.

"How was your day?" I asked her softly, sitting on the back of my heels so that I was eye level with her. Andie pouted sadly, her large eyes welling up. "What is it honey?" I asked her as she hugged me tightly.

"We had to do a presentation about our families, and all the other kids were laughing at me when I said I didn't know who he was." She said, her voice muffled in my sweater. I swung her satchel over my shoulder, and picked her up, holding her against my side as I began to walk towards the gates.

"Charlotte! Charlotte!" I turned, forcing a smile as I recognised Andie's teacher walking towards me. Miss Johnson ran to my side quickly, and smiled warmly. "I'm glad I caught you. Can we talk about Andrea's future?" Now I was interested. What did she mean by 'Andrea's future'?

"What d'you mean by 'Andrea's future'?" I asked slowly, absentmindedly stroking the back of Andie's head as I talked. As far as I knew, she'd been doing fine at the kindergarten, excelling in her classes.

"As you know, Andrea is much farther ahead in classes than a lot of… well, normal kids of her age. She's much brighter than most kids in the school, even high school." I didn't fully understand what she was trying to tell me, and so cocked my head to the side. "What I'm trying to let you know, is that I think that Andrea needs higher education. I think she would prosper in this high school more than here." She said, handing me a pamphlet.

"High school?" I asked, trying to get my head around the suggestion. Miss Johnson nodded.

"While the other kids were playing, I had Andrea take a college application test. Andrea's scores were amazing, she got 50 out of 50 for the written exam, and 49 out of 50 on the maths exam." I nodded slowly.

"Why wasn't I told about this exam?" I asked, hitching Andie up, so that she sat higher on my waist. Miss Johnson became visibly ill at ease, and I put the pamphlet into my purse quickly, before pursing my lips and turning towards the gates again. I passed through them, only sparing nods for the other parents picking up their children.

"You took a test?" I asked Andie softly as I slid us into a yellow cab.

"I only found out about it today!" she said defensively, her head still buried in my neck, and she snuggled closer. "Mommy, can I go?" she asked, pulling away for the first time.

"Go where?" I asked slowly.

"To the school? People there won't laugh at me as much. Miss Johnson told me all about people like me go there all the time." She said, her sweet voice slightly shrill the way it goes when she's really trying to get me to do something.

"…it's a really good school Ellen, it's just that, well… I can't pay for it." I said, sighing and leaning forwards in my seat to rest my head in my hands. I had asked Ellen to come round once I'd put Andie to bed.

"How much?" she asked curiously. It wasn't like I was in dire need of funds or anything, in fact I was rather well off, but with the school costing just over $30000 a semester, I would be a good two hundred in the red each month. I told her this, and her breath came out in a low whistle. "Wow…" she said softly, taking a scoop of ice cream. "30? That's like…"

"The cost of my mortgage for a year and a half, yeah I know." I said, rubbing my neck. Ellen knew I wouldn't be asking for help though, which is why she didn't ask.

"You know Charlotte, you could always talk to Don…" she said hopefully. "Andie was asking about him, you could always go to see him."

"I did." I said sighing. "I went to see him today." I said, squeezing the sides of my pot of Ben and Jerry's Cookie Dough ice cream gently, looking down to avoid her gaze.

"So, how did it go?" she asked excitedly. "What did he say? More importantly, what did _you_ say?" I looked up slowly.

"Nothing, and nothing. I saw him whilst he was in a group, and you should have seen his eyes El, it was horrible, I just turned and ran like the selfish idiot I am. Someone up there wants to punish me you know…" I said slowly.

"Oh come on Charlotte, you _know_ you don't believe that!" Ellen said incredulously. "Ok, if anyone wants you to pay for anything, let them speak now!" she said, holding her hands above her head and looking at me with her eyebrows raised and a mocking look in her eyes. Right at that moment, I took a big spoonful of ice cream, and as she said "Or forever hold their peace." I had a major case of brain freeze, and ended up jumping up and down on my chair squeaking. "Okay." She said sighing. "Maybe you _are_ damned."

I rolled my eyes when I had finally recovered, and banged my head on the table a few times groaning miserably.


	3. Twinkies and Night Calls

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own imagination.**

Thanks to all my reviewers and all those who put me on their favourite stories and authors lists.

I was lying on my bed, still fully clothed, trying to work out how I was going to either talk to Don, or tell Andie that we couldn't afford to send her to the school. Maybe… maybe if I move to Connecticut, then it might be cheaper. I can't do that to Andie, she loves the city. Biting down on a Twinkie, I try to work out what to do.

"It's okay mommy, if you don't want to send me there, I'll be okay…" I sat up quickly at the sound of Andie's voice, and looked over to the bottom of the bed where she was burrowing under the covers. I waited until her head poked out of the top of the covers and took a Twinkie from me before replying.

"You are going to that school Andie, I just need to sort a few things out first." I said, kissing her on the forehead. "Here, you got some Twinkie on your face!" I said, laughing and wiping it off before she buried her head in the covers again.

"I love you mommy." She said softly. I smiled warmly and hugged her as well as I could, considering I was on top of the covers, and she was underneath them.

"I love you too sweetie, now go to sleep. You have kindergarten in the morning." I said in a fake mom voice, still smiling.

"_You_ have work in the morning!" she accused me, pouting. "Can I stay up? Can I _please?_" she asked. I grinned and tickled her for a few minutes before telling her to go to bed. Andie snuggled into my pillow and fell asleep after a few moments. I sighed and walked into the living room.

I had just settled down on the couch to watch a film when the phone rang. I looked at the caller id, and didn't recognise the number, so I cancelled the call and waited for the person to leave a message it was a bit late for anyone I knew to be calling really. They all knew that I went to bed early because of Andie nowadays.

"Hey, this is Charlotte and Andie here, sorry we can't take your call, but leave a message and we'll get back to you ASAP." My voice rang out in the message, and I hugged my cushion tightly, hoping it wasn't Tom, my ex.

"…" there was silence on the other side of the call, and I frowned wondering who it was. I sat up, leaning over to pick up the phone.

"Whoever this is, you're probably old enough to know that prank calling is immature and stupid." I said angrily. There'd been a wave of prank calls in the building, and I was fed up of them. "You know, it's people like you who ruin people's da-"

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have called." Came the voice from the other end of the phone. I recognised Don's thick New York accent, which made my stomach knot like it used to whenever he spoke. "I won't bother you again…" he said slowly with sadness open in his voice.

"Don?" I asked, shocked at how steadily my voice came out when I side I was shaking. "Don…" I sighed as I fell back against the couch.

"I'm sorry. I should have expected you'd have a boyfriend. It _has_ been… a while." He said, trailing off on the last two words. Why did he think I had a boy-

"Andie's n-" he ended the call suddenly. "my boyfriend." I sighed again, leaning back, tears welling up, clouding my vision. I put the phone back on the hook and began to cry.

"Is Don my daddy, mommy?" I looked up into Andie's eyes quickly, shocked that she'd heard that.

"I – I thought you were asleep." I said sitting up and wiping my eyes.

"Did daddy make you cry? I don't want to meet him anymore if he makes you cry mommy." She said softly, kissing me on each eyelid before crawling onto the couch and hugging me. I pulled the blanket off the back of the couch, and threw it over us both.

"Your daddy didn't make me cry honey." I said slowly, hugging her tightly. "Would you like to hear what he was saying?" I asked after a moment. I could tell that she was itching to find out. She nodded against my shoulder blade, so I reached over to the phone and hit the 'Messages' button.

I lay back and Andie's grin became bigger than I'd ever heard it at the sound of her father's voice.

"Wait!" she cried out when the message shut off. "So, daddy thinks I'm your boyfriend or something?" she asked, looking up at me with Don's eyes. I nodded, my own eyes welling up, and whispered for her to go to sleep. Within minutes she did so, and I carried her back to her own room.

**Thanks to my reviewers - PadfootCc and BlueEyedAuthor.**


	4. Disturbance in the Building

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own imagination.**

Thanks to all my reviewers and all those who put me on their favorite stories and authors lists.

_Knock Knock..._

I rolled over, groaning and looked at the digital read out from the alarm lock on the side table. It was four in the morning. _What sort of person wakes someone up at four in the morning?_ I thought, rolling myself off m bed and onto the floor. Standing up, I found my balance and pulled on my bathrobe before padding barefoot into the lounge.

I nearly fell over the couch in the dark before I found the switch on the wall. An achievement even for me, and I fall over more than I stand up.

_Knock Knock..._

"Jeez, give it a rest will ya?" I muttered to myself as I approached the door. I yanked it open and I swear I had never bee more shocked in my life. Standing outside my apartment door, coolly ready to take notes on some crime or another which must have happened in the apartment house was Donnie.

He flashed his badge without looking up at me, and then he spoke. "Detective Don Flack NYPD. Did you happen to see or hear anything suspicious between the hours of eleven last night and two this morning?" He asked. When I didn't respond immediately, he looked up. He looked as shocked as I felt as he straightened his back to look down at me. The shock was quickly replaced with hurt and slight anger along with something else I couldn't read.

I shook my head in response to his question. I could see in his face that he understood that, and made to close the door.

Don stopped the door with his hand and pushed it open again. I didn't stop him as he did this, I don't think I could have if i'd wanted to.

He looked like he was about to say something when someone down the hall called his name. I held my breath as he called back that he'd be there in a minute and reached out his hand to me. I flinched back slightly, afraid he was going to do something like slap me.I would slap me if I was the one I'd left...

But instead, he cupped my chin gently and stroked my cheek with his thumb softly. He closed his eyes for a moment as he did this, and the look on his face made me want to curl up in a ball in a ditch somewhere and die. I stood still as his thumb traced my jaw bone and then stroked slowly over my bottom lip.

"You moved back into the apartment?" he asked slowly. I didn't bother to answer. He didn't want one, he was just stating facts.

"Is this how you treat all of your witnesses?" I asked shakily.

"just the ones I haven't seen for five years." he replied, his thumb straying into my mouth and behind my bottom lip. I quivered and he smiled.

"S-so a-alot of them then?" I asked breathlessly as he put his thumb to his own lips and kissed off the moisture. He shook his head slowly, and then shook is head harder as if trying to clear his eyes opened tis time, there was only pain, and then he blinked and no emotion showed at all.

"If you think of anything related to the case, then call me on this number." he said in a businesslike tone, passing me his card before turning and leaving. I closed the door quickly and slid down it, touching my hand to my lips and closing my eyes to stop the flow of tears I knew were coming.

**Thanks to my reviewers.**

**Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me. This is something I live by, so if you want to test this one out... hit that button right there and see what I write back.  
**


	5. Books, Sleep and Car Talks

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but my own imagination.**

Andie woke up at six thirty. By that time I'd cried all I could and decided to make banana waffles for her. I looked around as she walked into the kitchen already changed and sat on a chair, swinging her legs back and forth. After grinning at me, she opened a book and began to read.

I pulled the waffles from the waffle-iron and put them on plates with the rest of the breakfast. Setting them down on the table, I sat down and reached over, tipping up the front cover of her book to see what she was reading.

"Northanger Abbey?" I asked, taking it from her and closing it on the table, gesturing to her food. "I thought you were only halfway through Mansfield Park." I said, taking a sip of my OJ.

Andie nodded and swallowed before saying - "Yep, I finished it this morning. There was a knock at the door earlier and I couldn't get to sleep after that." she said. I put my fork down, and tried to understand why I'd never thought she was any different to most kids of her age. It seemed obvious now that I really looked, but before it was just... there.

"Sorry I didn't ask before borrowing it." she continued slowly. "I just liked the cover." she said worriedly.

"When have I _ever_ minded if you borrowed any of my stuff?" I ask her, pulling her it my lap and hugging her tightly, before starting to tickle her without mercy.

On the way to kindergarten, I picked her up and swung her over my shoulder when her feet got tired and twirled around until she was dizzy. She may be advanced for her age, but she's still only four, and four-year-olds love getting dizzy.

I dropped her off and made my way to work. Work stands for Diner. I own it, work in it and bring home food from it. All in all it's a beautiful relationship. By 2:30, I was tired, and my feet were killing me, so I headed into the back to file some of the orders from suppliers. This didn't take long, and I laid my head on the desk, and rested my eyes for a few moments.

Don's POV

"Okay, thanks." Don said slowly, rubbing his temples. The only suspect in his investigation was a man who seemed to have disappeared off the face of the Earth. After seeing Charlotte again last night for the first time in just under five years, he was cranky and upset.

The phone in front of him rang, and he picked it up immediately.

"Don Flack." he said roughly into the speaker.

"Hello Mr Flack." The voice on the other end of the line said cheerfully. Why did everyone have to be so god-damn cheery today? "I'm Ms Johnson, Andie's school teacher." School? Andie?

"Andie? School?" he asked, rubbing his eyes and yawning.

"Yes... Andie Flack, your daughter?" the voice said carefully. Flack sat up straight and suddenly he wasn't that tired anymore. "It's just that Charlotte isn't picking up her phone and school finished half-an-hour ago. Could you come and pick her up?"

"W-what school was it?" he asked shocked. The woman reeled off the address and name of the kindergarten and he jotted it down on his notepad. He returned the phone to the hook, and picked up his suit jacket from the chair next to him, putting it on as he strode out of the precinct.

Ten minutes later he drove up to the school and walked in through the large gates in front of the building. A young woman who he presumed was Ms Johnson was standing at the entrance with a little girl who had platinum blond hair and a bright red coat.

"Ms Johnson?" he asked, walking up to them. She nodded, her eyes traveling over his features. He didn't notice as she smiled in what she thought was an alluring way, he was crouching next to Andie and looking at her face.

There was no doubting she was his. They shared a nose, eyes and a pout. He grinned and her pouting face turned instantly into a hopeful smile, which lit up her whole face.

Andie had long platinum blond hair, with a straight cut fringe which fell past her little eyebrows. The red coat accented her natural blush, something she'd obviously gotten from her mother, along with a smattering of freckles over her nose. He'd made one good-looking kid.

"You're Andie?" He asked softly, as she tucked her hair behind her ear. Andie nodded.

"You're my daddy?" she asked in a sweet, high voice. Don nodded as well and she threw her little arms around his neck. He hesitantly returned the hug before picking her up.

Turning to her teacher, he said "Thank you for calling me, I'm gonna take her home. It was nice meeting you." Her teacher smiled at the recognition and he turned, leaving with Andie. As he crossed through the gate, he made a mental note to bring up the fact that 'Ms Johnson' hadn't checked who he was before letting her go with him.

"Mommy's probably at the Diner." Andie said as he strapped her into the passenger seat of his black SUV.

"Diner?" he asked when she was strapped in and he was sliding into the drivers seat. "Did Charl- _your mom_ buy that place she wanted?" he asked, pulling out of the parking space.

"Yep, two years ago. I don't remember it completely because I was two at the time, but..." she said grinning up at him.

"Diner it is then..." Don said, turning left at the end of the street.

There was silence for a few minutes, both Don and Andie concentrating on the road ahead before Andie finally spoke.

"You're taking this very well, considering you didn't know about me until you got a call to come pick me up."

"I'm sure i'll probably flip later on, but I'm trying to keep a lid on my emotions 'til I'm on my own." Don replied, braking at a red light. He turned to her and frowned. "Y'know, i've just noticed, you talk a lot older than you are." Andie smiled and nodded her head.

"I'm gonna go to a Private High School if mommy can pay the fees. I really want to go, but I heard her telling Auntie Ellen that she's not sure she can cover it." Andie sighed, opening Don's glove compartment and taking out random things, inspecting them closely.

Don laughed as she pulled out his handcuffs and snapped them on. Even at the smallest they could go, her hands could fit easily through them. The lights turned green, and he drove on.

"So... this school?" he said slowly. "How much does it cost a semester?" he asked as nonchalantly as he could manage.

"About $200 more than she can pay a month." Andie replied.

**Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me. This is something I live by, so if you want to test this one out... hit that button right there and see what I write back.**


	6. Walking Wounded

**Disclaimer: Does it sound like I write for CSI: New York? I didn't think so.**

**Sorry... this chapter is going to be _really, really_ short, but...**

I woke up suddenly, but my eyes wouldn't open properly, I was still too tired to wake up. I moaned and tried to move my head.

I forced myself to sit up and it took a few moments before I could open my eyes properly and look at the time, whilst I rubbed my neck.

"Shi-" I said loudly. I was late for Andie. I picked up my phone and rushed around the small office, pulling on my thick black ugg boots and my thick wool coat, before dialing the kindergarten as I half-ran out into the Diner. There was a man standing there, at the counter, waving something I couldn't quite see. His face was obscured because he was wearing a Marvel Comics hoodie and a NY baseball cap, pulled low over his eyes. There was nothing especially strange about him, we got kids in here all the time looking for a good slice of cheesecake, so I continued towards the counter to pick up a couple of sprinkle donuts to sweeten Andie's mood towards me.

"Charlotte!" I stopped suddenly as Clara, the only waitress on duty at the moment shouted at me. I frowned at her as the guy across from her turned towards me and began shouting swear words, looking back and forth between us both. It was then that I recognised the object he was brandishing. It was a gun. A 9mm to be exact.

I raised my hands to shoulder level, scared out of my wits and the guy picked up a satchel which I realised contained all the money in the register.

"Thanks girls!" he said in a gruff voice, before turning towards the doors. Clara and I stared at each other in shock, before turning back to the door when we heard gunfire. The man was still standing there. He'd just shot into the ceiling, and was now lowering the gun in the direction of the counter.

_Bang! Bang!Ban-_

I didn't hear the last shot. Only Clara's screams. I looked towards her to see a single gunshot wound to the middle of her chest. I could see the blood seep quickly into the front of her uniform, before she dropped to the ground as if in slow motion. The shooter ran out the door and into the street quickly, whilst I ran to Clara's side as quickly as I could. The shock was numbing me. I couldn't hear at all, I just wanted to get to her. Realising I was still clutching my cell, I dialled 911 and asked for an Ambulance, reeling off the details as reached for her, and pressed down on her wound firmly, telling her to hold on even when I knew she was losing the fight. I whisphered for her to hold on over and over...

Then the numbness left my body, letting me hear the wailing of the ambulance as it raced towards the Diner. I saw the blood on Clara's body properly, but most of all I felt a stinging in my left shoulder, and my right leg. I brought my hand to touch the place where it stung. Looking at it, I noticed a thick, sticky red substance coating it. It was bloo-...

**Yep, so there it is... as I read on a window in my school, A man who always thinks before taking a step, will forever be standing on one leg. Come on, you don't wanna be that wierdo trying to balance do you? Hit that button! (Not a demand)**


	7. Waking Up

**Disclaimer: Does it sound like I write for CSI: New York? I didn't think so.**

**Sorry... this chapter is going to be _really, really_ short, but...**

The next thing I remembered was a pair of sharp stings on either side of my chest. The pain speared through my skin, travelling all the way through to my heart. It felt strangely like when you hiccup, and it seems to get lodged in your heart. It was that sort of ripping pain. Just when it stopped, there was another one. This time it hurt more, and shocked me back into full conciousness.

"And we're back!" a woman's voice sounded from my right. At that moment, I _really_ wanted to do something to her which would end up with me in jail for life, and her in one of those big black bags you see on crime shows. Her voice was much too cheery for my liking. I wanted to tell her where she could stick her happiness, but I was also concerned about what had actually happened.

I tried to move, to sit up, but a second person, this time a man, pushed me back down, shaking his head. "I'm afraid you need to stay lying down for the moment. The gunshot wound to your upper thigh has meant that you've lost a lot of blood, and coupled with the through and through on your shoulder, you're pretty torn up." I didn't understand. If there were gunshot wounds, then why didn't I feel them before... and why not now? I asked him this, my voice harsh and quiet, but it was the woman who answered.

"It's quite common for people to ignore their pain when they're focusing on other things. This may have been why you didn't feel the pain before you passed out. The reason you can't feel anything right now is because you're on morphine." Okay, so why did I feel the pain before? I assumed that the pain was from CPR or something. I was about to ask when I realised where we were. I looked around somewhat painfully, and took in a deep, sharp breath.

"Why aren't you helping Clara!?" I said loudly, my voice ringing shrill against my ears. I looked up at them both alternately with my eyes wide, but they did nothing. "Help her! She needs help more than I do! She's got a gunshot wound to her che..." I trailed off, looking into their eyes. "NO!" I yelled suddenly, refusing to believe that she was -

"I'm sorry. There was nothing we could do for her. She was dead before we got to the scene. You're our main priority right now." the woman said in her unaffected tone. I could tell that they were looking at me with sympathy, but my gaze was rooted on the motionless body mere feet from mine. I couldn't believe that just... how long had it been since i'd lost conciousness? I felt myself slipping once more and let the darkness descend, one word on my lips.

"Andi..."

**Yep, so there it is... as I read on a window in my school, A man who always thinks before taking a step, will forever be standing on one leg. Come on, you don't wanna be that wierdo trying to balance do you? Hit that button! (Not a demand)**


	8. A Man's Touch

**Disclaimer: Does it sound like I write for CSI: New York? I didn't think so.**

**This chapter is purely Donald Flack...**

"She's coding!" Don heard the shout shortly after he'd pulled up by the ambulance in front of Charlotte's Diner. He told Andie to stay with Angell, who'd just arrived at the scene, and tried to get inside to see what'd happened.

"I'm sorry sir you can't go in there!" A dumb-ass junior cop warned him. He was obviously too young for his job, probably recruited right out of high school, so it wasn't that hard for Don to shove past him. In the large room he saw a body on the ground as he rounded the counter. His breath shortening, he almost took in a sigh of relief at the sight of Char fighting for her life on the floor next to her.

Still careful not to contaminate any more evidence than the paramedics had, he crouched next to Char's unresponsive body and put his hand in her's, squeezing it tightly as one of the two other people there pumped hard on her chest.

"Stay with me Charlotte!" he growled, pulling their intertwined fingers to his chest. He sat helplessly as the medic did all he could, finally resorting to a shot of adrenaline straight to her heart. As soon as the syringe emptied it's contents in her chest, Charlotte sat bolt upright gasping, with an indistinguishable look on her face.

"Back again!" An unbelievably cheery woman relayed, like none of them had noticed she wasn't dead. Don spared her a glare before turning quickly back to his wife.

"Don't worry." he said, when she looked into his eyes in shock. "You're gonna be fine." he finished voice low, almost breaking on the last word. He gulped then continued "You gave me quite a scare there!" A small noise broke from her throat.

"I-I don't b-believe that for a sec-cond." she gasped out, obviously in pain. Why weren't they giving her pain meds? He asked the medics this, and they said they needed to get her to a hospital before they could give her anything because she was so unstable she could code any minute.

"Then get her to a fucking hospital!" he almost shouted in annoyance. They weren't helping her because they needed to get someone more qualified!? Sheldon could do a better job than this! That wasn't a bad idea.

"Don't you dare ask any of you-r colleagues who m-might be qua-lified to give me meds, i don't wa-nt back str-reet surgery either, C-heapsk-kate." Charlotte joked from her position on the floor next to him. He almost managed a smile, which didn't go unnoticed. He shushed her before she could say anything, telling her that she needed her energy to breath. A painful chuckle bubbled up, but quickly became a choke, causing her to cough and splutter until blood was produced.

Looking over, he realized that whilst this was going on, the medics had been stemming the flow of thick red blood from two gunshot wounds. One of her shoulder, one to her upper thigh.

"Andie!" Charlotte spoke quickly. Looking down at her softly, he reassured her. Char sighed deeply before closing her eyes slowly.

"Charlotte. Don't die on me." Don said, desperation evident in his voice. Her eyes flickered, and shock showed slightly on her face.

"I'm not." she said slowly. "I'm ju-st tired is all." she sighed, her eyelids fluttering closed once more. Don squeezed her hand, realizing it was still clutched tightly in his as the paramedics lifted her across onto a stretcher to carry her to the ambulance. When they finally managed to remove her from the building, Don let go of her hand and walked quickly over to Angell.

"Thanks." he said, swinging Andie into his arms. "I'm gonna have to take the day off compassionate leave." he said, turning to Mac and his boss as he walked towards him. Mac shook his head in disbelief.

"If there was one thing I never thought I'd see..." Don's boss said slowly. "Yeah, I understand, you take the time off." Don nodded to him as Andie clasped her hands around his neck, and hugged his neck. He felt her tears, and he subconsciously began to rub her back soothingly, her sobs subsiding quickly. Pulling back, she rubbed her eyes.

"How is she?" Mac asked.

"She's got a gunshot wound to her shoulder, and what looked like a through and through in her upper thigh." Don sighed deeply, looking over to where the ambulance was driving off. "I've gotta go if I'm gonna make it to the hospital before she goes into surgery." Mac nodded, Don's boss had already moved along.

"I hope she okay." Mac told him.

"I hope she is too." Andie spoke up before he could voice his own opinion. He looked across at her, and his smile was genuine. Don had only known Andie for a matter of an hour, but it didn't take long for him to form bonds, and she'd obviously inherited that.

**Yep, so there it is... I want to get to 50 reviews on this story, so if you could help, even a few words would count, and could go a long way to making my week, so hit that little button down there... _please_?  
**


	9. Just what the doctor ordered

**Disclaimer: Does it sound like I write for CSI: New York? I didn't think so.**

**This chapter is purely Donald Flack...**

It took about four hours before the doctor finally walked from the theatre room and spoke to Don. He was extremely relieved to hear that Charlotte's condition was stable, and understood that she would have to be kept in the hospital for at least a week before she could even think of attempting the physio she'd need to complete to leave.

Charlotte was wheeled from the surgery after pictures were taken of her wounds, and the bullett still in her had been taken for processing. She was given her own room off the main ward, and when she the sedatives wore off and she woke up, Andie and Don were by her side smiling down at her.

With her hand clutched in his grasp, Don looked over to the doorway where Angell was standing and waiting, having just arrived. Don leant down and asked Charlotte quietly if she thought she was up to answering a couple of questions.

The sooner they caught the bastard who did this, the better. Charlotte whispered a raspy, but understandable 'sure...' before turning and smiling at their daughter and whispering that she was going to be okay. Don looked up again, and nodded to Angell who returned his nod with something in her eyes. Was it pity? He shook off the though as Angell walked towards the bed.

Angell stood on the other side of the bed to Don and smiled reassuringly at him before she looked down at Charlotte, and began to ask her questions related to the case like "And can you describe the shooter?" etc. Whilst she did this, Don decided to take Andie to get something to eat... she shouldn't be around whilst stuff like that was happening, he was afraid she might get scared.

"What d'you want?" he asked Andie with one last glance into the room where Angell was collecting the statement. Charlotte's eyes locked his for a moment, but they flicked away a little too quickly. He returned his gaze to Andie who started to list her favourite foods.

"...pizza, and chocolate, and... and... and pizza!" she finished. It had taken her the entire trip to the car to complete the list, and it was mostly compiled of chocolate, pizza and ice-cream.

"How about..." Don started, strapping Andie into the passenger's seat in his car, breaking off to walk round the car and buckle in on the driver's side. "We go get garlic bread, pizza and a giant chocolate brownie sundae?" he asked looking down at her.

The immediate squealing and jumping up and down in her seat told him she obviously didn't mind this suggestion, so he pulled out of the parking space, checking the rear-view mirror.

"Mommy _never_ lets me eat that!" Andie said when she'd cooled down a little. Don grinned at her.

"Yeah, but you need comfort food, and I know for a fact that your mom eats this whenever she's upset." he said, before realising that this might not be true anymore. It was five years ago, but... he was cut off from his thoughts by Andie's voice.

"Oh yeah! She was eating chocolate ice-cream when she was talking to Auntie Ellen about school." she said happily. Don nodded and concentrated on the two blocks he had to drive down to get to the pizzeria.

When they arrived, Andie actually gasped in awe, and Don laughed before pulling her out of the driver's side with him. The pizza place he'd chosen was shaped with a pizza roof, and looked really cool. It belonged to his cousin so he wouldn't have to worry about the waiting list. Don't let the exterior fool, this place made the best pizza in the entire city.

**Yep, so there it is... I want to get to 50 reviews on this story, so if you could help, even a few words would count, and could go a long way to making my week, so hit that little button down there... _please_?**


	10. Marvel Jumpers and Statements

**Disclaimer: Does it sound like I write for CSI: New York? I didn't think so.**

Waking up in the hospital was definatly an interesting experience. Many things were strange... my throat felt like it was a desert, I could feel tubes left right and centre, I had something shoved up my nose and I could hear an annoying beeping noise coming from beside my head. There were so many of these things I could describe, but it would take all day. I will just tell you the wierdest part of waking up in a hospital... the fact that both my hands were being held. Sure I expected to have the small reassuring hand of my daughter clasping mine, but strangely enough, I also had a man's hand, with the fingers closely intertwined with mine.

I was trying to work out whose it could be for a good minute, until I remembered what had happened for me to end up in a hospital in the first place. My mind flickered through the memories at record pace, until suddenly I got to the part I was looking for.

Don.

My eyes flickered open, taking in my surroundings. Andie and Don were on both sides. My eyes glanced to both of them before towards the doorway where Don's eyes had moved suddenly. I looked up to him again. _Girlfriend?_ To tell you the truth, it was a relief knowing he'd moved on.

Don leant down and asked me if I could answer a few of the woman's questions about the shooting. I nodded slowly and whispered a shaky "sure...". The shakiness wasn't exactly due to the fact that I was in pain as much as the fact that his breath was feathering over my face. Seriously... five years of separation and I'm _still_ going lightheaded over him?

Don looked back to the girl by the door, and so did I. There was something in her eyes. _Sadness?... _If so, it wasn't for me, it was for herself. Definatly something between them. I felt glad he'd moved on. It mean't I didn't have to worry about him wanting back into my life.

Angell walked to stand on the other side of the bed to Don, annoyingly close to Andie and smiled reassuringly at him before she looked down at me, with a sheepish expression and began to ask me questions related to the case.

"And can you describe the shooter?" she asked, her eyes not even staying in my general direction. She wasn't bothered about shielding her obvious I'd probably have to say... _Attraction. _It took my prompting for her to finally begin to write the information in the notepad she was holding. All in all, took hardly any time at all to answer the questions and give a statement, but then I had to go through it a couple more times to show it was totally legit, so that took us a few hours...

"So. Is that all? Or did you want anything else?" I asked. Detective Angell had been hovering next to my bed for the past two minutes after having said goodbye.

"Uh, actually, yeah, there is." she replied. I nodded slowly, prompting her and she continued. "Is there anything going on between you and Don?" I arched an eyebrow, surprised and taken aback.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that question?" She squared her shoulders to get extra height. Uh, hello, I'm in a bed... I'm not exactly tall enough right now for her to do that! I decided not to make that point, so shrugged and answered her question. "Not for the past four years and ten months, no." Detective Angell looked relieved to hear this.

"D'you think you could talk to him about that?" She asked quickly. "It's just from what he said earlier, he seems to think there's hope for the two of you yet. If you could just point him back in my direction..."

"I don't really think it's your place to be asking me that, or my place to warrant it with an answer." I replied, slightly annoyed now.

"Okay... thanks." she said haughtily before turning and walking out of the room like she owned the place. I picked up remote for the bed and jabbed it until it pushed me into a posistion where I was lying down completely, then closed my eyes, trying to get some sleep whilst in the back of my mind wondering where Andie and Don were.

* * *

I woke up some time later to the feeling of someone stroking the hair from the side of my face gently. I shiftled and groaned at the pain in my shoulder that caused. I don't know why, but I moved my cheek so that the hand was cupping it, and felt the person's thumb stroke my bottom lip soothingly. Then I noticed the weight of another hand on my side, and opened my eyes to see who it was. Why I didn't do this earlier, I don't know.

I think I jumped so high that the ceiling didn't know what hit it. The figure grinned down at me in a way I'd never seen before, a kind of frightening way.

"Tom! What're you doing here? We broke up r-" That's as far as I got, before I notice that he was wearing a Marvel Comics hoodie and a backwards NY baseball cap. Again he grinned, and then his hand pushed down voilently on my shoulder. I tried to scream, but he muffled the noise with a pillow. I was losing air quickly, and felt the cushoiny softness of unconciousness surround me as I fought back with my uninjured arm and leg, with a few solid kicks before they got tangled in the covers.

Suddenly the pressure was released, and I was able to breathe again, but the pain finally hit home, and I couldn't move properly anymore. I lay there for a few minutes, waiting for my body and mind to recover. I actually almost laughed at the situation. Getting attacked in a hospital had to be the most ironic situation possible... probably just the shock setting in.

A pair of hands pulled the pillow from my face before holding my arms firmly. I lashed out. I didn't care about the pain anymore, I could feel the new stitches in my shoulder ripping, but the fight or flight feeling had finally entered my system, and I didn't want to die like this.

The restraining hold tightened as my fists connected with flesh, easily forcing my arms back. I screamed and tried to break free, to no avail.

"Baby. Charlotte!" I opened my eyes again to see Don, and felt tears welling up, blurring my vision. Don's arms slid around me as I sobbed into his chest.

**Yep, so there it is... I want to get to 50 reviews on this story, so if you could help, even a few words would count, and could go a long way to making my week better after my GCSE today, which was a killer... so hit that little button down there... _please_?**


	11. Bed Hugs and Over Due Explanations

**Disclaimer: Does it sound like I write for CSI: New York? I didn't think so.**

It was definite that Tom was attacker after what had happened in the hospital. He had been taken into police custody shortly after and refused bail. Knowing that someone I'd trusted with myself, my friends and most of all with Andie would do something like that was shocking. Probably the only thing keeping me from cracking right there in the hospital was Andie, who'd seen me every day after school, before Don got off work and took her back to his apartment, where she'd been staying.

Andie couldn't completely comprehend the situation, and I didn't expect her to. Over the past few weeks Don had been trying to keep my mind off what had happened, knowing that when the shock set in, I would probably crack or something. These two things helped me through the days, couldn't stop my dreams from being haunted by thoughts and images of Andie being with me at the time of the shooting, or if I'd been the one dead instead of Clara.

I tried to speak to a grievance counselor about it one day, but it didn't work.

One night when I'd had a particularly bad nightmare, I woke up to a pair of comforting arms around me, and a large warm hand stroking hair from my face. Looking to my left side, I saw Don in the hospital bed beside me, with sadness clouding his eyes.

"Charlotte... none of this was your fault." He said, kissing my forehead gently and carefully pulling my uninjured side to him, tucking my head under his chin. The fabric against my cheek felt different to the shirts he'd been wearing all the other times he'd visited me. I knew that, because each time he'd had to pick Andie up from where she was asleep on me.

"It was!" I insisted. Being stuck on your own in a bed for at least ten hours a day for a whole week gives you time to think, and I'd come to no other conclusion but that it was my fault. Don already knew that Tom had been my partner, he wasn't dumb, and didn't miss details in his investigation. I'd been interviewed twice about my relationship with him and the 'vic' as Detective Angell had referred to Clara.

"You couldn't have known what was going to happen. You'd have been crazy to have suspected that this guy would pull a gun on you." That was true, I'd begun dating Tom when we were introduced by a mutual friend and he'd seemed like a genuinely nice guy, but then again that shows you how appearances can be deceptive.

The vibrations that Don's voice created in his throat carried to my forehead, and was strangely soothing. I felt that what he was saying was true, but it wasn't just that which was bugging me.

"I understand that, but what if Andie had been there? Or if I'd been the one to die instead of Clara?" I asked, tears filling my eyes and constricting my throat.

Even in the dark, where Don might not have been able to see my glistening eyes, he felt them on his neck and pulled away to smooth the few small tears that had already escaped from the corners of my eyes.

"That didn't happen though. You're safe, and so is Andie. That's all that matters right now." Don said quietly but firmly, stroking my cheek with his thumb.

"But Clara _is dead!_ She was a friend as well as an employee and she's dead because of me Don." I whispered, pulling back from him and looking down into his eyes. Don kissed my nose and cupped the back of my head, gently tipping it to down to rest on him once again.

"Clara was my friend too. You seem to forget that Char. I remember when we met her working in the old coffee place near my old apartment." I couldn't believe I'd forgotten that. We'd spent so many long hours there, just drinking coffee and chatting when we'd just begun dating.

I looked up into his eyes again and before I knew it, our lips were brushing softly. It was over within moments, but lingered there.

"Don..." I began. I wasn't sure what to say, or do to be honest, I just felt in those few seconds, how I'd felt when we'd been together. It'd thrown me somewhat off focus.

"Don't worry about it Char." He replied to my unspoken question. "Angell told me what you'd said about us." Now this threw me a little more. Angell had wanted to know more than I was prepared to tell about my relationship with Don, and told her that it was none of her business many times before she'd finally gotten the hint and backed off, or so I'd thought.

"What did she say?" I asked softly. Don grimaced, as if it actually did him pain to relay this information. He slid off the bed and stood in-front of me with his hands wedged into his jean pockets. Now that the light from outside the room was hitting him, I could see he was wearing a dark blue long sleeved t-shirt.

"Come on Char! You already know, it was you who said it. Just don't make _me_ say it..." he trailed off, not looking into my eyes. Weird... now I really want to know what's going on. I raised an eyebrow, and he caved easily. Pity really, tough guy cop, unable to be affected by the worst of criminals, but caves easily beneath a simple stare from me... "Fine. Jess" first name all of a sudden, interesting. "told me how you had told her that our marriage had been a mistake." Hmm... where do I find a shovel, Angell's dead body, and a graveyard?

"And you believe her?" I asked him. He nodded. "Why?" To tell you the truth, I was shocked he'd think that.

"I don't know?" Uh oh, he was mad. "Because you left me just under five years ago with no explanation why, never told me I had a daughter. Why would I _ever_ think that?"

"I know that no explanation in the _world _is going to be good enough to warrant what I did, but you have to know, that when I left, it wasn't because I didn't love you, or because I thought that our marriage was a mistake! The reason I left was stupid and selfish. It was because I didn't want to turn into one of those cop's wives who worry about their husband whenever they turn on the TV and see a cop death, or anything like that." I didn't know at the time that I had already joined their ranks but I didn't tell Don that part, or the part where there were about ten other reasons too. He didn't need to know all of them, he just needed to know the most important.

He stood there in shock for about ten seconds before he left. He needed to be alone. I understood that.

**Yep, so there it is... the explanation as to why Charlotte left Don, well part of it anyway. Hit that little button down there and make an ill girl's week... _please_?**

**Dedicated to Bronwyn Cullen-Flack-Whitlock (My twin), and my best friends checkyesjuliett and LittleLouisaRose.**


	12. Kisses and Car Horns

**Disclaimer: Does it sound like I write for CSI: New York? I didn't think so.**

Two weeks later, I'm being pronounced fit to leave hospital. I hadn't seen Don since the night when I'd told him one of the reasons that I left. Andie had still visited, but Ellen would pick her up because Don was 'being held at work late' and didn't want her to have to sleep there too late.

I was looking forward to sleeping in my own bed, and eating my own food. I was still bound to a crutch, and told not to move very much, but at least I was able to go to the loo on my own unaided.

When I was finally ready to leave, and stood up with my crutch, one of the nurses wheeled in a wheelchair, and I groaned loudly. If there's one thing I really can't stand, it's looking like an invalid. I don't have anything against people in wheelchairs, it's just I got over the novelty of it all when I was ten and broke both my legs in a car crash. After using one of them non-stop for two months, they tend to lose the childish charm.

"I'm sorry, but you're going to have to sit in it. It's hospital policy Charlotte. I'd hate to have to lure you to it with chocolate..." I grinned. I'd become friends with most of the nurses who'd looked after me during my stay, I was just that kind of lovable person I guess... They'd been really good to me, bringing me all sorts of treats whenever I needed cheering up. I spent a good ten minutes arguing with her about it, and she was close to caving, I could tell, when I heard his New-Yorkian voice again.

"Just do the good nurse a favour and sit in the thing will you Char?" My face shot to his, and he held my gaze steadily. I practically _fell_ into the chair... Donnie was looking incredibly good today if I say so myself. He made easy work of talking the poor, unsespecting young nurse into letting him walk me out, and wheeled me into an elevator.

As soon as we left the building, I stood up, and swayed slightly, unused to standing on one foot, trying not to put weight on my bad leg. Donnie caught me by the waist, and picked me up, and this movement forced me to gasp at the jolt of pain that passed through me, but then Don shifted slightly, so that his arm was now seated directly under my knees, and the pressure on my leg was released, and the pain began to ebb away. He lowered me into his car, which was parked just along the road to the hospital.

I strapped myself into the passenger's seat while Don got into the driver's seat. After a second, he pulled out of the space, and drove towards my apartment. We didn't talk for a good five minutes, but then he spoke.

"We need to talk Char." My eyes shot to his, and found him still looking out of the front window towards the jam of cars ahead of us. When I didn't answer for a while, he turned to look at me. What did he expect me to say?

"Um... I guess so." I said, still staring, now into his bright blue eyes, and it surprised me slightly to see that there was respect mixed with the other emotions in his eyes. He moved one hand to cover mine, and a familiar jolt only it wasn't pain this time. As he rubbed the back of my hand with his thumb, I realized how much I'd missed him in the past few years. His hand moved to cup the side of my face and stroke my lip lightly, before he leant towards me and brushed his lips against mine.

I responded to his movement, and leant into the kiss, moving my head to the side so that his lips could sit more firmly against mine. His tongue trailed the line of my bottom lip, and I kissed his top one. I shifted closer to him, as he did to me, and his hand move to my waist as mine slid across his cropped hair.

_Beep...Beep..._

Have you ever noticed how goddamn annoying car horns are? I have... I pulled away from Donnie quickly, letting out a breath slowly. Don drove along and parked in the apartment block. I remembered my crutch just before I had to stand up, so picked it up from where it had been stowed on the back seat of the car, and got out slowly, testing my leg.

"So..." I began as Donnie supported me more as we made our way towards the elevator across the parking lot. He gazed down at me with only a hint of his former pain and hurt in his eyes, and grinned. "I thought you said we needed to talk..."

"Maybe that was my kind of talking." He retorted playfully. I pushed him away from me, both of us laughing, and he pulled me back to his side, with our arms around each other's waists, and kissed the top of my head.

**So... not how I thought this story would go, but... I'm looking at this and thinking it might be the last chapter... tell me what you guys think...?  
**

**Dedicated to Bronwyn Cullen-Flack-Whitlock (My twin), and my best friends checkyesjuliett and LittleLouisaRose.**


	13. Friends and Family

**Disclaimer: Does it sound like I write for CSI: New York? I didn't think so.**

When we reached the apartment, Don helped me by unlocking the door, and supporting my weight as I hopped through it. On the way up the elevator, Don had told me that he knew about the money I needed for Andie's school. There were only two sources.

Either Ellen had broken my trust and gone behind my back to tell Don, or she'd let it slip. I didn't really think either of these were real possibilities due to the fact that she was the best secret keeper I knew.

"Charlotte!" Ellen rushed forward from the lounge area with a huge grin on her face, to envelope me in a tight hug, she'd perfected it to avoid my injuries. Before letting go, she whispered in my ear, "Andie found out and told." That girl can read my mind sometimes.

"Hey Ellen. You know, there's no need to act like you haven't seen me in months, you visited yesterday!" I said knowingly, just before Andie ran into the room carrying a cake about the size of her own head, and nearly dropped it. I bent over, still not able to kneel because of my leg, and heard Don let out a low whistle. I mock glared at him, but was slightly unsettled by how dark his eyes had become. Turning back, I kissed Andie's forehead before asking what that cake was in aide of.

"Oh Mommy mommy mommy... It's not a cake!" she said like I was dumb, then when I raised one eyebrow, she blinked up at me innocently, before picking up what _I_ thought was a cake, but was obviously just a lid, to reveal -

"It's a first edition Northanger Abbey." Don said smugly. I straightened up and sent a disapproving glare in both their directions.

"Which one of you decided this would be a good present?" Andie tried not to, but her eyes moved involuntarily towards Don.

"Well as long as I know that she didn't _steal_ it or something, thank you, it's wonderful." Andie jumped up and down grinning, then made 'up' motions, wanting to be carried. With my good arm, I indicated my bad one helplessly, but thankfully Don was a sucker for the 'I'm adorable' face she was putting on, and picked her up instead, sitting her on his waist. Wow... can anyone say Super Dad?

Suddenly I felt really left out... Is it really that bad that I don't want her to become a Daddy's girl? I_ sure as hell don't think so._ I thought grumpily.

"Mommy! Come through to the living room, and say hello!" Andie's shrill voice penetrated my thoughts, and I walked through the door, intrigued as to what she meant be 'say hello'.

My heart almost stopped when I saw my twin standing in the room. "Bonnie!" I screamed, as her eyes widened and she sprang forwards and hugged me tightly. Bronwyn had moved down to Florida before Andie was born, and I hadn't seen her in about two years. I bit back a cry of agony as she tackled my healing body.

"Oh God! I'm so sorry Lottie!" She said, pulling back. I just tried to hide my grimace and turn it into a smile.

"No Bon, it's fine..." I said after a couple of seconds. "I thought you couldn't get away from work." she grinned at this, and was about to answer when Andie piped up, and caught all of our attentions.

"Mommy!" she gasped, laughing.

"What?" Bronwyn and I asked at the same time.

"You cwall" Yes she says cwall instead of call. "auntie Bwonwyn - Bon and Bonnie, and you cwall Daddy - Don and Donnie." We all looked at each other. Maybe it was just her who found that funny...

We all watched Andie laugh uncontrollably for a little longer, before Ellen's boyfriend Red came into the room and Ellen whispered the 'joke' to him. Apparently he finds this funny too.

"So... anyway." Bon said, turning back to me. "Yeah, I couldn't, but Don pulled some strings with Horatio and got me the extra time." Bronwyn worked as a CSI in Miami. Originally she wanted to be a doctor, but she'd switched after a conference she'd been to about Forensic Sciences in the last year of High School. "I took most of my leave for this summer, so..." I grinned and pulled her into a tight one armed hug and kissed her cheek.

Bronwyn was getting married in July, and I couldn't be happier for her, she'd decided to wait, and had been dating her fiancé Kellan Welsh for five years now.

"I'm so sorry Char." Bonnie said quietly as she pulled back. I just smiled weakly. I still blame myself for what happened, but Don's words were beginning to help me somewhat.

"Where's Rose?" Wolf asked suddenly, looking around the room. I hadn't noticed him, Kellan or Red were there before then. They were in the corner eyeing my Guitar Hero 3 games.

"I'm right here Wolf!" Rose said annoyed, struggling into the room and holding her back. Hmhmhm... I love how hormonal she is now that she's pregnant, she's so sweet. Wolf helped her onto the couch. Wolf's her boyfriend. It's short for Wolfgang Debutante... couldn't stop laughing when I heard his name, but Wolf's really cool.

**So... Short chapter I know, but my twin wanted in on one of my stories, and I wanted to add my friends so this was just a filler to add her in... been ill, so that's why I haven't updated in so long...  
**

**Dedicated to Warning- May Contain Pepsi (Bronwyn), LittleLouisaRose (Rose and Louisa in A Third Of A Human), and checkyesjuliet (Ellen)  
**

**I know that I'm using the name Kellan in my other story, but my twin asked and I couldn't refuse...  
**


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